Analogy Patterns – 60-Second Cheat Sheet
RRB Railway Exams · 25 Dec 2025
Key Points (One-Liners)
- Analogy = “Relationship is the king; find it, don’t just match words.”
- Always verbalise the bridge: “A is to B as C is to ?”
- 90 % RRb questions are 1° relationships: Synonym, Antonym, Worker-Tool, Worker-Product, Whole-Part, Cause-Effect, Degree, Sequence, Classification, Function.
- If two choices fit the bridge, pick the tighter (less generic) one.
- Alphabet analogies: check forward/backward position, vowel count, reverse string.
- Number analogies: look for ±n, ×n, n², prime, digital root, digit-sum.
- “Image :: Image” questions—rotate 90°, add/delete element, mirror, shade swap.
- Never ignore the “direction” of the pair (A→B may differ from B→A).
- In double-blank (A:B :: C:D) verify both blanks separately.
- Eliminate outliers: if four options belong to one class, the lone wolf is often right.
- Spend ≤15 s on each analogy; mark & move if bridge unclear.
- Wrong options usually share surface feature (same field, same prefix) but miss core relation.
- In sentence analogies, replace colon with “is related in the same way as”.
- For coded analogies, decode one pair fully, then apply same code to stem.
- Final check: plug choice back into sentence; it must sound logical, not forced.
Important Formulas/Rules
| Formula / Rule | Typical Application |
|---|---|
| Positional value: A=1, B=2… Z=26 | Letter-shift analogies |
| Reverse alphabet: A↔Z, B↔Y… (value = 27 – pos) | Mirror-letter pairs |
| Digital root ≡ sum of digits till single digit | Number-classification analogies |
| Prime triplet check (p, p+2, p+6) | Prime-series analogies |
| Synonym score: words share ≥75 % dictionary synonyms | Vocabulary analogies |
| Degree rule: comparative → superlative (hot→hottest) | Gradation analogies |
| Function rule: object→primary use (knife→cut) | Tool-function analogies |
| Whole-part template: “X is made up of Y” | Composition analogies |
| Cause-effect: “X leads to Y” (rain→flood) | Event analogies |
| Classification: “X is a type of Y” (rose→flower) | Category analogies |
Memory Tricks
- “S-A-W” – Synonym, Antonym, Whole-part cover 60 % questions.
- “123-RRR” – 1° Relation, 2-way check, 3-blank plug-in.
- “F-D-P” – Function, Degree, Part-of quick scan grid.
- “V-C-I” – Verbalise, Compare choices, Insert answer.
- “EAR” – Eliminate, Apply rule, Re-check.
Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Correct Approach |
|---|---|
| Ignoring order (A:B vs B:A) | Always note left-to-right flow |
| Choosing same-topic word instead of same-relation word | Test the bridge, not the theme |
| Overlooking secondary meaning (bank=river/finance) | Read all senses of the word |
| Spending >30 s on one analogy | Mark, skip, return at end |
| Forgetting to plug final choice back | 2-second sanity check before bubbling |
Last-Minute Tips
- Enter with “relation first” mindset—never start with options.
- Use blank paper to jot bridge in 3 words max; prevents option bias.
- Tick analogies you skip; 10 % come back obvious on second look.
- If two options equally tight, pick shorter/neutral word (RRB trend).
- Final 2 min: only review marked ones; no new solving.
Quick Practice (5 MCQs)
BETA
